Various surface-mountable devices are known in the art. They include tie down rings, loops and fingers, among other structures. Sometimes, such structures are permanently configured to extend outwardly from the surface that they are mounted to. This can affect the functionality and the aesthetics of the mounting surface. Other times, such structures provide the ring, loop or finger to be movable to a position that is flush with the mounting surface. While this may improve functionality, it does not necessarily improve the aesthetics of the mounting surface. In the view of this inventor, there is a need to provide a hidden tie down structure that provides the tie down structure that is necessary to secure an item to a surface and alternatively hides or conceals the tie down structure when such is desired or required. There is also a need to provide such a structure that is easy to use and aesthetically pleasing when the tie down structure is stowed away.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tie down structure that can be mounted into a surface such that the tie down structure is readily usable when such is desired or required while also providing the ability to conceal the tie down structure when it is not in use, and to do so in an aesthetically-pleasing way.